NameCensus.

UK surname

Knightly

An English surname derived from the word "knight", referring to one of noble or chivalric rank.

In the 1881 census there were 127 people recorded with the Knightly surname, ranking it #17,166 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 112, ranked #28,844, down from #17,166 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Conwy, Basildon and St Edmundsbury.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Knightly is 155 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 11.8%.

1881 census count

127

Ranked #17,166

Modern count

112

2016, ranked #28,844

Peak year

1901

155 bearers

Map years

5

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Knightly had 127 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,166 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 112 in 2016, ranked #28,844.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 155 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Knightly surname distribution map

The map shows where the Knightly surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Knightly surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Knightly over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 97 #17,484
1861 historical 99 #21,294
1881 historical 127 #17,166
1891 historical 149 #18,420
1901 historical 155 #17,704
1911 historical 117 #20,757
1997 modern 88 #28,611
1998 modern 98 #27,923
1999 modern 94 #28,593
2000 modern 114 #25,717
2001 modern 99 #27,534
2002 modern 105 #27,123
2003 modern 94 #28,686
2004 modern 95 #28,746
2005 modern 93 #29,133
2006 modern 89 #30,027
2007 modern 91 #30,061
2008 modern 96 #29,654
2009 modern 107 #28,483
2010 modern 107 #29,153
2011 modern 104 #29,424
2012 modern 108 #28,849
2013 modern 113 #28,502
2014 modern 113 #28,779
2015 modern 109 #29,327
2016 modern 112 #28,844

Geography

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Where Knightlys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes, St Pancras, St John Hackney and Cambridge: St Andrew the Less, St Andrew the Great, Holy Trinity, St Benedict. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Conwy, Basildon, St Edmundsbury and Waltham Forest. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 St John Hackney London (North Districts)
5 Cambridge: St Andrew the Less, St Andrew the Great, Holy Trinity, St Benedict Cambridgeshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Conwy 005 Conwy
2 Basildon 001 Basildon
3 St Edmundsbury 014 St Edmundsbury
4 Waltham Forest 012 Waltham Forest
5 St Edmundsbury 013 St Edmundsbury

Forenames

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First names often paired with Knightly

These lists show first names that appear often with the Knightly surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Knightly

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Knightly, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Knightly surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Knightly household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Knightly is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Knightly is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Knightly falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Knightly is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Knightly, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Knightly

The surname Knightly is of English origin and can be traced back to the late 12th century. It is a locational surname, derived from the place name Knightley in Warwickshire. This place name is believed to have been formed from the Old English words "cniht" meaning a knight or servant, and "leah" meaning a meadow or clearing in a forest.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Knightly appears in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1199, where a person named Roger de Knitteleg is mentioned. This spelling variation suggests the name's connection to the village of Knightley.

In the 13th century, the name was also recorded in various forms such as Knighteleye, Knitteleg, and Knytleye, reflecting the local pronunciation and spelling variations of the time.

The Knightly family was well-established in Warwickshire and played a significant role in the county's history. One notable member was Sir Richard Knightly (c. 1532-1615), a Member of Parliament and High Sheriff of Warwickshire. He was involved in the trial of Mary, Queen of Scots and was a close friend of Sir Walter Raleigh.

Another prominent figure was Sir Edmund Knightly (c. 1519-1615), a Member of Parliament and Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire. He served as a Justice of the Peace and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I in 1592.

In the 16th century, the name Knightly was also found in other parts of England, such as Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire. One example is Sir John Knightly (1560-1599), a Member of Parliament for Northamptonshire and a soldier who fought in the Netherlands.

The Knightly family continued to play a significant role in the region throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. Notable individuals include Sir Robert Knightly (1599-1668), a Member of Parliament and Royalist supporter during the English Civil War, and Sir Richard Knightly (1719-1812), a Member of Parliament and landowner in Warwickshire.

While the Knightly surname is still found today, the historical records and notable individuals mentioned above provide a glimpse into the origins and significance of this surname in English history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Knightly families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Knightly surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 60 Knightlys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.84x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 60 4.84x
Cambridgeshire 31 39.51x
Essex 8 3.27x
Surrey 8 1.33x
Northumberland 6 3.26x
Cheshire 4 1.46x
Hertfordshire 3 3.51x
Hampshire 2 0.79x
Northamptonshire 2 1.72x
Suffolk 1 0.66x
Sussex 1 0.48x
Wiltshire 1 0.91x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Histon in Cambridgeshire leads with 16 Knightlys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3902.44x.

Place Total Index
Histon 16 3902.44x
St Pancras London 10 10.03x
Hackney London 9 12.96x
Mile End Old Town London 8 30.35x
Shoreditch London 7 13.04x
Cowpen 6 141.51x
Hendon 6 134.53x
Leyton 6 142.52x
St Benedict Cambridge 6 1363.64x
Whitechapel London 6 49.14x
Croydon 5 14.93x
Paddington London 4 8.78x
St Andrewthe Less 4 44.64x
Woolstanwood 4 8000.00x
Impington 3 1764.71x
Bishop Stortford 2 70.18x
Islington London 2 1.67x
Kingston On Thames 2 13.79x
Long Buckby 2 185.19x
Saffron Walden 2 77.52x
St George In East London 2 17.17x
St Marylebone London 2 3.02x
Chelsea London 1 2.68x
Damerham 1 384.62x
Farnborough 1 37.45x
Fen Ditton 1 357.14x
Framlingham 1 93.46x
Hitchin 1 25.97x
Lambeth 1 0.93x
Rottingdean 1 140.85x
St Edward Cambridge 1 400.00x
St George Hanover Square 1 4.58x
Stoke Newington London 1 10.36x
Tottenham 1 5.07x
Ventnor 1 41.49x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Knightly surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 10
Eliza 7
Sarah 5
Elizabeth 4
Emily 3
Ada 2
Alice 2
Edith 2
Jessie 2
Lucy 2
Amelia 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
Charlotte 1
Eleanor 1
Ellen 1
Emma 1
Ethel 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Jane 1
Kate 1
Lizzie 1
Maliora 1
Martha 1
Rebecca 1
Rose 1
Ruth 1
Susan 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Knightly surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Charles 7
Edward 7
James 5
William 5
John 4
Walter 4
George 3
Henry 3
Thomas 3
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Frederick 2
Joseph 2
Samuel 2
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Charly 1
Chas. 1
David 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Geo.Hy. 1
Harry 1
J.W. 1
Mary 1
Oliver 1
Philip 1
Richard 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Knightly surname: questions and answers

How common was the Knightly surname in 1881?

In 1881, 127 people were recorded with the Knightly surname. That placed it at #17,166 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Knightly surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 112 in 2016. That gives Knightly a modern rank of #28,844.

What does the Knightly surname mean?

An English surname derived from the word "knight", referring to one of noble or chivalric rank.

What does the Knightly map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Knightly bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.